Fastening means for curtains



Feb. 16 1926.

E. J. THURBER I FAs'rENING MEANS ron CURTAINS Filed July 29, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 UHU..

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FASTENING MEANS FOR CURTAINS Filed July 29, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Peis. 16, i925.

A unire EDWARD ernennen., or New 'omini srarrs rAisNr OFFICE.

Louisiana, viisSiGivOi?. `ro THURBER, PER- KINS AND COOK, NCORIORi-LTED, @E HESTv ORLEANS, LGUISIANA, A COREOATION GF LOUISIANA.

llEASlENINC". MEANS FOR CURTAINS.

Application led July 29, 1924. y*Serial No. 728,929.

To all wimii t 07mg/ concern.' Y y Be it known that il, EDWARD J. Tiiuiiiinii, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, parish of Grleans, and Stat-e of Louisiana, have invented certain new andy useful improvements in Fastening Means for Curtains, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to curtain fasteners particularly adapted to use in connection with curtains having overlapping edge portions. The improved fasteners are intended for use with any form of curtain mounting, or with a curtain that may engage a roller and be stored inthe vehicle` top, yor with a curtain of ordinary forni, but iii all usesv ofthe improved devicestlie adjacent el; es

i of the curtains are overlapped and posia l v l l Y l F i tively held inithis position by the rasteneis.

The primaryobject of the invention is to provide a fastener that will bring the edges of the curtains together and hold them in overlapped association, and also stiften the curtain structure at the overlapped portions thereof.

lilith a roller form of curtain the fasteners commonly used are objectionable Aand do not easily wind, or when vthey are wound injure the fabric of the curtain, and therefore such common form or fastener is .not commercially practicable on roller curtains. It is preferred that the present improvement be used in connection with curtains attached to rollers disposed to always Iinsure an overlapped association of the edge portions of the curtains and permit the same to. easily wind and unwind relatively to the rollers without injury to the vfabric of the curtains v.

lllith the foregoing and vother `objects and advantagesin view, the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the severalpartswliich will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.Y

l ln the drawings y .f

Fig. l is a side elevation of a portion of a vehicle body and a top curtain roller stru@ ture broken through in parts and the top shown in dotted lines and having the improved curtain fastener applied thereto and illustrated in operative position in full lines and in positions of disuse in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 isa transverse vertical section on the line 2 2, Fig. l. y

Fig-."3 a transversevertical section on line 3-3, Fig. l."

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of za modified form of the fastener illustratedin full and dotted lines and broken through.

l is a horizontalfsection on the line of the improved fasteners shownV broken Figs and 9 are sections similar to' F ig. 2,1 y

illustrating themodified form of the fastener in two positions and showingthe curtain lassociated therewith. Y f

' l0 is a section on'the line 10, 10, Fig;

.7, looking in the direction lof the arrow.

rlllie numeral 5 ydesignates .a vehicle lor. automobile body having mounted thereoverA -a top .6, shownin dotted lines, and embodyvtends fully along the inside of each depending side portion rof the top and the curtains. The rframe 7 for the curtain assembly is `made up of frame members having secured thereto at regular intervals bearing brackets l2, which depend therefrom and also extend above the same to operatively receive they spindles' 13 `of spring rollers 14, the said rollers being arranged in rsuch manner that' their extremities will overlap, and the lowerV rollers as shown by Figs. 2 and 3 are 'disposed at a greater distance inward from the depending side portions of the vehicle'top than the upper rollers, so as to provide for a practical operation of the curtains operatively connected to thesaid rollers. This overlapped arrangement ofthe extremitiesl of the rollers and the means for'holding the roller brackets and comprising the frame for this curtain assembly are features well knownl in my particular form of curtain mountings or installations in connection with automobile tops, andl whereby thel curtainsarealways in convenient positions for ready operation by the occupant or occu- Inv v in?y therein at opposite sidesV a frame 7 for' pants of an `automobile or vehicle. The .stilfening or reinforcing strips 29, one in curtain mounting or install-ation aboye specified may, however', be modified, but under all changes it is preferred that the curtain#engagingr rollers 'have their extremities loverlapped or disposed in such manner that the side edge portions of the curtains will always be retained in .orerlapped .relation, both when the curtains are lowered and also when they are rai-sed.

As hercinbefore indicated., the present improvement consists of fastening;` means for the overlapped edges of the curtains when the latter are lowered, and the form of the improved fastener as shown by Figs. l -to 6, inclusive, is in the nat-ure of a flattened ta-shaped clip consisting;` of reversely opening,r jaw members 1G and l? having; beaded or rolled free edges "i8, the jaw members beingcontinuous throirgjh the medium of eurred bends 19. lilaelr clip is long' enough .to extend `do-wnwardly from the vtop structure or from 'the curtain assembly and the fil-ler board to the upper portions Lof the opposite sides `of the vehicle or automobile body. Each clip is preferably constructed of resilient material srv-eh as metal. vand may be suitably treated to resist OXidiZation. Both jaws l@ and 17 .continuous through fthe bends 1S) willi an medi-ate flat body member .20., which is extended its upper end to forni :an intermediate r.guard yor guide part on 2l. Tine jaw l@ is located at the inner side of the Yclip .and has a :lower dope; ling attaoliimg terminal with an Aopen 23 there thnou-gjli, and at its upper estremi-ty the same jaw ias :an upwardly ,projecting fulerum arm 24.-, which terminates :above 'the upper `edge of the 4guide or partition 2l .and has an opening 25 in the upper terminal thereof. The fulcrum arm is pivotally connected to Aa fnlcr-u-m pla-ite 26 secured :to the low-er outer pontion of the fran'ie 7 for the curtain assembly, and whereby the `clip may be swung laterally when not in use urpwardly into the top :and be engaged by a hoek Aor analogous device 27 depending from an upper part of the fra-nre 7, las clearly shown by F l which illustrates all of the clips in dotted positions stored within .the stop. The lower attaching' terminal or extremity 22 of ythe teli-p is removably zattached -to -the outer side of the ripper portion of the vehicle for automobile body :by a .screw 28. Each cl-ip is similarly mounted .and has like operation, and in addition 4to reliably holding the overlapped edges of the curtains l5, these clips also serve as reinforcing standards :and `supports which are primarily intended to rigidly connect the side .edges of the curtains and lalso servo as interposed supporting' means :between the .top and the body of the vehicle. The our- .tains at their lower .edges are provided with each, which .operate to 'expand 'the idfaws 16 and 17 when drawn through the clips so as to render movement of the remaining` portions of the curtains through the said jaws relatively easy without objectionable binding` or frictional abrasion with relation to tbe edge portions of the curtains, and when the lower ends of the curtains are pulled .through .the lower terminals of the jaws as shown by Fig'. 3, the lower stiffening or reinforcing strips 29 secured in the .curtains will bear :as stop means against the lower terminals :of the jaws and the lat-ter will the-n press tightly `against .and draw the :oyerlapped edge portions of Ithe curtains 'in fclose associa ion with stille intermediate .tint members 2@ Aof the elips. lVhein the curtains are pushed upwardl' ierollers la will regularly take up for wind the curtains, :and when the .lower edges of .the curtains with lthe str-ips 29 therein reach an elevated position as shown lby Fig. :2, 4the lower f nds 4of the curtains will always be Vin eonvenient position for lready engagement by the occupants of a vehicle or antomoblle for drawing 'the same downwardly when desired. The improved `curtain ree-fre fasteners or -clips vwhen not in use and stoned or lturned upwardly into the top will be free of engagement with the curtains, the latter then being fully drawn upwardly into `the top and wound upon :the rollers.

ln tlie modified .consti` ction shown by Figs. i to 1.0., inclusive, the same essen features are shown with the difference that `each fastener fcomprises a two-pant clip, vor a yclip havin-g one member or clamping' j aw movable in relation to the other. This modified form Iof the olip comprises :a narrow aw :or strip 30 .pivoted .at its upper end, as at 3l, to the inner edge `'of the filler .board 8 and haw/ing its lower eitremity bent 'or shaped to provide .a recess or seat To Athe lower end of :the jaw 3@ below the recess or seat :the flower end of a .i-novable jaw 33 is loosely pivoted and is adapted to be swung' laterally with relation to the main or supporting aw S310 or drawn inwardly away from the `latter at an angle, l

as shown in dotted and full lines by Fios. 7 anc. t). The upper end of the jaw yor strip is adapted to eng' 'eje .a wed-'gie biloc 3d secured :to the outer le .ed-ge of the lower portion of the fname 7 for the `ci-irtain assembly, the said wedge block 4or retainer 3l; hai/'infnT an inclined edge and a shouldered seat 36, with relation to which the upper end of the or strip 3T3 'has movement. This wedge or retainer' 3st hold-s the jaw or strip close relation to vthe .main or su.ppzor-tingJ jaw or stri-p The modi-ded structure shown 4'by l? i? to l0. inclusive, has the saine operation in regard to holding` the side edges of fthe adjacent curtains in overlapped rela-tion las the first form of clip hereinbeforeH described, and..

in the operationof this vmodifiedform the jaw 33 is released and opened and the cur,- tain l5 is then drawn downwardly close against the jaw until the strip 29 inthe loweredge of the curtain reaches the recess or seat 32, and the jaw will then be closed and secured by engagement with the retainer and thereby hold the curtaink in lowered position. The seat 32 and the two jaws 30 and 38 will be so proportioned thatV they will hold both overlapped edges ofthe curtains firmly along the full length of said edges.A In the modified` form of the curtain fastener as shown by Figs. 7' tov 10, inclusive, it will be observed that the lower extremities of the fastener or clip depend loosely over the side of the vehicle or auto-l mobile body and when not in use are adapted to be swung or turned upwardly into the top in the same manner as the form of clip heretofore described and be retained in the top against movement.

Both forms of the improved device will be exceptionally effectivev in holding the overlapped side edge portions of curtains and retain the entire curtain organization in effective shape with tight jointures. Moreover, both forms of fasteners have a clamping action relatively to the side edge vportions of the curtains engaging the'same,

and the recess or seat 32 at the lower end of the modified form of the clamp will serve to aline the lower stiffening or reinforcing bars of the curtains between the overlapped vside edge portions of the latter. I

That is claimed as new is:

l. In a curtain fastening means class specified, the combination with a vehicle top' and body, of a curtain organization including curtains having adjacent edges, and fastening means consisting of clamping members movably secured to the top and disposed for movement of the side edge portions of the curtains therethrough to hold the latter in close joined overlapping relation. i

2. In a curtain means of the class specified, thecombination with a` vehicle top and body, of a curtain korganization associated with the top and comprisingrollers-having curtains connected thereto yfor movement upwardly into and downwardly from the top, and fasteningdevices connect-ed `to portionsv of the top and depending down to the body and having means for receiving and firmly ,securing the overlapped edge portions of the curtains.

3. In a curtain fastening means of the class specified, the combination with a vehicle top and body, of a curtain organization mounted in the topand comprising curtains and means for winding the said curtains to permit the latter to move downof theL wardly and upwardly'withrelation to thel top -withthe side edge portions of the cur'- tains in overlapped relation, and fastening means for the overlapped edges of the nur- -tains 'having clam aina' i aw members bctn een whichV the side edge portions of the curtains are snugly held, the fastening means being body, the side edge portions of the curtains having an overlapped relation, and clamping' means interposed between the top and the body and having aws which permit the edge portions of the curtains to freely move therethrough and also operable for engaging t-he overlapped side edge portions of the curtains'and holding the latter in tight joined relation, the said fastening means being pivoted to portions of the top and movable yupwardly into and held within the top when not in use.

5. In a curtain fastening meansof the class specified, the combination with a vehicle top and body, of a curtain organization associated with the top and comprising curtains movable upwardly into and kdownl wardly from the said top, having an overlapping side edge arrangement and fastenv ing means extending between the top and body and having jaws which permit the .side edges of the curtains to move therethrough Vand also voperable for engaging the side edge portions ofthe curtains to hold the latter firmly in associated tightly joined overlapped relation, the said fastening means being always connected to and movable upwardly into and downwardly from the top.

6. In a curtain fastening means of the `class specified, the combination with a vehicle top andbody, of a curtain organization associated with the top for storage in the latter when not `in use and comprising y curtains with the edges. thereof maintained in overlapped relation, and rfastening means rconsisting of yielding clamping jaws with relation'to which the curtains are movable,

`the said jaws operating to hold the overi lapped side edge portions of the curtains in tightly joined association.

7. In acurtain fastening means of the class specified, the combination with a vehicle top and body, of a curtain organization associated with the top and comprising curtains movable upwardly into and downwardly from the top and having overllt) lapped side ledge portions, the curtainshaving stiifening vdevices at'their lower ends,

and fastening devices having opposed yieldioo i ing,` jziws through which the side edge portions of the curtains and the opposite extremities of the stitfening devices have inovenient, the jaws being` also operable to hold the side edge portions of the curtains tightly joined, and the stilening` devices operating to separate the jaws for freedom of movement of the remaining portions ot' the eurtains through the fastening` ineens.

S. In e curtain fastening ineens of the class .specified7 the combination with zi vehicle top and body, o't' a Curtain organization mounted in the top and con'iprisiiip` eurtziins movable upwardly into and down wardly from the top having overlapped side edge portions, and fastening ineens for the side edge portions of -the enrtains, the fastening ineens in one adjustment permitting the side edge portions of the curtains to freely move therein7 seid instening` means having upwardly projecting,` guii'le partitions and lower fastening extremities projecting' therefrom and the npper extremities of the fastening ineens :riso being' provided with pivot arms for inovably Connecting` the said fastening' means to the top to permit moif'einent ot the festening,` means upwardly into and downwardly `from the top.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set iny hand.

EDVARD J. THURBER. 

